title: Positron emission tomography scan reveals an unusual source for cervical lymphadenopathy: right colon cancer.
abstract: Cervical lymphadenopathy is usually related to the presence of an inflammatory disease or to a malignant localization. In the event of metastatic findings, the thyroid gland is the most likely primary site of a tumor. Metastatic lymphadenopathy represents a challenge when the primary tumor is unknown. A 64-year-old female with a supraclavicular palpable mass in the absence of underlying thyroid disease underwent ultrasonography of the neck, biopsy of the pathological lymph node, fluorodeoxyglucose-Positron Emission Tomography (FDG-PET) and colonoscopy until right colon cancer was diagnosed. FDG-PET is a fast and reliable tool to discover the primary site of cervical masses of unknown origin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Trieste and Cattinara Hospital, Strada di Fiume, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Palmisano
authors.forename: Biagio
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Casagranda
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Piccinni
authors.forename: Nicolò
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: de Manzini
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary*
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18